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Published on 2024-02-13 22:48:27
Pep Guardiola has received a setback in the form of fresh fitness concerns as three Manchester City players are dealing with injuries. Despite this, Manchester City secured a 3-1 first-leg victory over FC Copenhagen in Denmark, putting them in a strong position to qualify for the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.
The goals from Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden contributed to the win, giving Pep Guardiola’s team a two-goal advantage after Kevin De Bruyne opened the scoring and Magnus Mattsson equalized for FC Copenhagen.
However, the victory came with some costs as Croatian duo Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic were absent from the squad that traveled to Denmark. Additionally, Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva suffered injuries during the game, leaving Guardiola concerned about their availability for upcoming crucial Premier League matches against Chelsea and Brentford.
The injuries to Grealish and Silva were particularly worrying, with Silva sustaining an ankle problem and Grealish suffering a suspected muscular injury. In addition, Gvardiol has suffered an ankle ligament injury, which Guardiola revealed post-match.
Despite these injuries, Guardiola provided a glimmer of hope by suggesting that Kovacic could make a return to face his former club, Chelsea, in the upcoming match. Kovacic had moved to City from Chelsea during the summer transfer window for an initial £25 million.
Guardiola expressed his disappointment about the injuries, particularly praising Grealish’s improved training attitude in the days leading up to the match. He mentioned that Grealish’s injury was unfortunate considering his recent form in training.
Overall, while the victory against FC Copenhagen was a positive outcome for Manchester City, the concerning injuries to key players have raised doubts about their availability for important upcoming matches.
Read Original article on City Xtra
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